Engine block and cylinder head assembly for a variable compression ratio engine

Abstract

An engine block and cylinder head assembly for a variable compression ratio engine, includes a common cylinder head ( 300 ) which co-operates with a cylinder case ( 100 ) in order to close (i) the end of at least one cylinder ( 110 ) of the engine at the combustion chamber ( 302 ) thereof and (ii) the end of at least one cylinder ( 112 ) of a control jack ( 8 ) of the engine at the upper chamber ( 121 ) of the jack, the cylinder case containing all of the components of the mobile coupling system ( 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13 ) of the variable compression ratio engine.

1 . A cylinder head and engine block assembly for an engine with a variable volumetric ratio, characterized in that it comprises a common cylinder head ( 300 ) which cooperates with a cylinder block ( 100 ) in order, on the one hand, to close the end of at least one cylinder ( 110 ) of the engine in the region of its combustion chamber ( 302 ) and, on the other hand, to close the end of at least one cylinder ( 112 ) of a control jack ( 8 ) of said engine in the region of the upper chamber ( 121 ) of said jack, said cylinder block containing all the components of the coupled moving system ( 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 9 , 10 , 13 ) of the variable volumetric ratio engine. 
   
   
       2 . The cylinder head and engine block assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the common cylinder head ( 300 ) includes one and the same joint plane ( 301 ) which cooperates with one and the same joint plane ( 190 ) belonging to the cylinder block ( 100 ), said joint planes cooperating with at least one gasket ( 305 ) which allows sealing to be provided between said common cylinder head ( 300 ) and said cylinder block ( 100 ). 
   
   
       3 . The cylinder head and engine block assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the common cylinder head ( 300 ) includes at least one combustion chamber ( 302 ), at least one ignition device and at least two valves and their device which opens them and closes them. 
   
   
       4 . The cylinder head and engine block assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the common cylinder head ( 300 ) includes a first chamber ( 184 ) formed at the end of the upper rod ( 10 ) of the control jack or jacks ( 8 ) of the engine, said chamber ( 184 ) being connected to a pressurized oil inlet. 
   
   
       5 . The cylinder head and engine block assembly as claimed in  claim 4 , characterized in that the common cylinder head ( 300 ) includes a second chamber ( 186 ) formed at the end of the control rod ( 20 ) of the control jack or jacks ( 8 ) of the engine, said chamber being connected to a pressurized oil inlet. 
   
   
       6 . The cylinder head and engine block assembly as claimed in  claim 5 , characterized in that the second chamber ( 186 ) formed at the end of the control rod ( 20 ) contains a spring which exerts a thrust on the control rod ( 20 ) while bearing on the bottom of said chamber on the one hand and on the end of said control rod on the other hand. 
   
   
       7 . The cylinder head and engine block assembly as claimed in  claim 4 , characterized in that the common cylinder head ( 300 ) includes passages formed within its mass which interconnect the first chambers ( 184 ) formed at the end of the upper rod ( 10 ) of each control jack ( 8 ). 
   
   
       8 . The cylinder head and engine block assembly as claimed in  claim 5 , characterized in that the common cylinder head ( 300 ) includes passages formed within its mass which interconnect the second chambers ( 186 ) formed at the end of the control rods ( 20 ) of each control jack ( 8 ). 
   
   
       9 . The cylinder head and engine block assembly as claimed in  claim 5 , characterized in that the common cylinder head ( 300 ) includes passages formed within its mass which connect the first chamber or chambers ( 184 ) formed at the end of the upper rod ( 10 ) of each control jack ( 8 ) to the second chamber or chambers ( 186 ) formed at the end of the control rods ( 20 ) of each control jack ( 8 ). 
   
   
       10 . The cylinder head and engine block assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the common cylinder head ( 300 ) includes means for fastening the peripheral members required for the operation of the engine and the vehicle on the one hand, and for fastening the engine to the vehicle on the other hand. 
   
   
       11 . The cylinder head and engine block assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the cylinder block ( 100 ) includes a control camshaft ( 803 ) placed below the control jack or jacks ( 8 ) of the engine and above one or more control racks ( 7 ) of said engine, the control rod or rods ( 20 ) of said engine coming to bear on said camshaft. 
   
   
       12 . The cylinder head and engine block assembly as claimed in  claim 11 , characterized in that the control camshaft ( 803 ) is housed in bearings ( 191 ) in which it can turn. 
   
   
       13 . The cylinder head and engine block assembly as claimed in  claim 12 , characterized in that the radius of at least one bearing ( 191 ) in which the control camshaft ( 803 ) turns is greater than the largest radius of the cams ( 804 ) of said camshaft. 
   
   
       14 . The cylinder head and engine block assembly as claimed in  claim 12 , characterized in that the bearings ( 191 ) in which the control camshaft ( 803 ) turns have different diameters in order to facilitate the mounting of said camshaft. 
   
   
       15 . The cylinder head and engine block assembly as claimed in  claim 11 , characterized in that the control camshaft ( 803 ) includes a rotational return spring ( 805 ). 
   
   
       16 . The cylinder head and engine block assembly as claimed in  claim 11 , characterized in that the control camshaft ( 803 ) includes intermediate transmission means ( 806 ) which enable it to be coupled to an electric motor ( 802 ) capable of rotating said camshaft. 
   
   
       17 . The cylinder head and engine block assembly as claimed in  claim 11 , characterized in that the cylinder block ( 100 ) includes at least one rocker ( 813 ) which imposes a vertical position on the control rod ( 20 ) according to the angular position of the camshaft ( 803 ), and at the end of which rocker said control rod ( 20 ) comes to bear, said rod being kept in contact with said end of the rocker ( 803 ) by a spring housed in a chamber ( 186 ) formed at the end of said rod and/or by the hydraulic pressure existing in said chamber. 
   
   
       18 . The cylinder head and engine block assembly as claimed in  claim 17 , characterized in that the rocker ( 813 ) bears on the cylinder block ( 100 ) on the one hand and on one of the cams ( 804 ) of the camshaft ( 803 ) on the other hand. 
   
   
       19 . The cylinder head and engine block assembly as claimed in  claim 18 , characterized in that the rocker ( 813 ) bears on the cylinder block ( 100 ) by way of a connection ( 814 ) whose vertical position with respect to the cylinder block ( 100 ) can be adjusted by means of an adjusting device ( 816 ). 
   
   
       20 . The cylinder head and engine block assembly as claimed in  claim 19 , characterized in that the adjusting device ( 816 ), which makes it possible to adjust the vertical position of the connection between the rocker and the cylinder block ( 100 ), consists of a support bolted into said cylinder block which is locked in rotation by a locking means. 
   
   
       21 . The cylinder head and engine block assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the cylinder block ( 100 ) includes stops which fix the limits of the top position and the bottom position of the control rack ( 7 ) and which cooperate with stops secured to said control rack. 
   
   
       22 . The cylinder head and engine block assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the common cylinder head ( 300 ) includes a stop which fixes the limit of the top position of the control rack ( 7 ) and which cooperates with a stop secured to said control rack. 
   
   
       23 . The cylinder head and engine block assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the stops fixing the limits of the top position and the bottom position of the control rack ( 7 ) consist, on said control rack side, of a flexible material which covers the upper and lower faces of the control jack piston ( 13 ) secured to said rack, said flexible material being able to come into contact either with the common cylinder head ( 300 ), thus fixing the limit of the top position of the control rack ( 7 ), or with the cylinder block ( 100 ), thus fixing the limit of the bottom position of said rack. 
   
   
       24 . The cylinder head and engine block assembly as claimed in  claim 2 , characterized in that the cylinder block ( 100 ) includes at least one rectangular aperture ( 192 ) closed off by a rectangular plate which is fastened to the cylinder block by means of bolts and which constitutes the support for a rolling device ( 4 ) of the engine. 
   
   
       25 . The cylinder head and engine block assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the cylinder block ( 100 ) includes means for fastening the peripheral members required for the operation of the engine and the vehicle on the one hand, and for fastening the engine to the vehicle on the other hand. 
   
   
       26 . The cylinder head and engine block assembly as claimed in  claim 2 , characterized in that the gasket ( 305 ) placed between the common cylinder head ( 300 ) and the cylinder block ( 100 ) is traversed by at least one passage through which the pressurized engine lubricating oil can flow between said cylinder block and said common cylinder head. 
   
   
       27 . The cylinder head and engine block assembly as claimed in  claim 2 , characterized in that the gasket ( 305 ) placed between the common cylinder head ( 300 ) and the cylinder block ( 100 ) is traversed by at least one passage which allows the oil, once it has lubricated the mechanical parts of the common cylinder head ( 300 ), to return back down into the cylinder block ( 100 ) under gravity. 
   
   
       28 . The cylinder head and engine block assembly as claimed in  claim 2 , characterized in that the gasket ( 305 ) placed between the common cylinder head ( 300 ) and the cylinder block ( 100 ) is traversed by at least one passage which allows the blow-by gasses present in the cylinder block ( 100 ) to rise toward the common cylinder head ( 300 ). 
   
   
       29 . The cylinder head and engine block assembly as claimed in  claim 2 , characterized in that the gasket ( 305 ) placed between the common cylinder head ( 300 ) and the cylinder block ( 100 ) is traversed by at least one passage which allows the engine coolant to circulate between the water chambers ( 303 ) of the cylinder block ( 100 ) and the water chambers ( 304 ) of the common cylinder head ( 300 ).